Forbidden Fruit
by lambiekins
Summary: Not wanting to intrude on her mother’s new-found marital bliss, Bella Swan moves back to her hometown of Forks to live with her father and brother. But what happens when the brother she never knew turns out to be everything she wanted? AH/AU.
1. Chapter 1

**Title:** Forbidden Fruit

**Authors: **The Lion and The Lamb

**Pairing:**Edward/Bella, all canon.

**Rating: **M (for future chapters)

**Summary: **Not wanting to intrude on her mother's new-found marital bliss, Bella Swan moves back to her hometown of Forks to live with her father and brother. But what happens when the brother she never knew turns out to be everything she wanted? All-Human/Alternate Universe.

* * *

_I felt his lips pressed hard against mine before I even realized it; he kissed me with a sort of urgency… his fingers gripping at my shirt, pulling me closer against him. I couldn't breathe; I couldn't move; all I could focus on were the thoughts that kept screaming, _'This is wrong. This is so wrong.'_ And yet I let him continue. I didn't push him away, and I didn't tell him to stop. The truth was, I wanted this just as badly as he did._

_I wanted him just as badly as he wanted me._

_

* * *

  
_

I don't recall the exact circumstances of my parents' divorce; my brother and I were only children. My mother got the car and the RV, my father got the house, my father got my brother and my mother got me. It was split almost in half, everything even. While my brother stayed in my rainy hometown of Forks, I moved with my mother to Phoenix; in fact, my brother and I had always been as opposite as our settings.

I spent my childhood taking shifts with my brother during summer vacation and winter break; he'd come to Phoenix one year, I'd spend the next in Forks until the year he'd started high school. Our father, Charlie, had decided _'the kids ought to have an uninterrupted social life,'_ and for that reason only, Charlie was my savior even if I'd never had one.

Our lives were completely uninterrupted aside from the occasional mailed gift. It was, in some ways, as though I'd never had this whole other family on the Pacific Northwest… until the day my mother decided to run off and get married. She'd eloped.

Phil was… _nice,_ and yet just as much as a teenage boy as he seemed to be at times. Instead of having a step-father, I was reminded more of the brother I might have had if we'd grown up together. He was a ball player, strictly minor league, and he traveled far more than my mother would have liked.

This is where things changed.

When Phil was traded to Florida, I had the choice of moving with them or to Forks to be with my father and brother. I chose the latter. Anything would be better than watching my mother mope every time her husband went out of town, staying behind because she, for some inexplicable reason, felt that it was necessary to suddenly start _acting_ like a mother.

Within months, my bags were packed and my flight was booked. In the end, I'd rather live with a father who wanted me than a mother I'd be burdening. I knew mom wanted to be as close to Phil as possible, and I was an obstacle – I wanted her to be happy.

* * *

There was no fanfare for my arrival, not that I expected one. My dad and brother were the only family I had; no cousins, no grandparents, no aunt and uncles. My father Charlie was the chief of police and had never really seemed to find anyone he was sincerely interested in dating. He was too busy for relationships; too busy for anything but the occasional boy's night out with the same friends he'd had since high school.

My father's home was almost exactly as I remembered it as a child, only it smelled different. It smelled like dust, stale air, and… _men_. The home was well worn with no obvious intentions of changing things, as every trace of my mother's existence still remained from the wedding photos to the paint and wallpaper she'd put on the walls.

"Oh, I didn't know your flight came in yet…"

I didn't recognize the voice at first and upon turning I had to tilt my head up to find his face. It was the messy hair and disinterested gaze all belonging to my brother, and it figured that he wouldn't care about anyone but himself. I frowned, and he rolled his eyes in response. It had always been like this between us – we weren't close, and we never really got along.

In the corner of my eyes I saw Dad shake his head as he walked toward the kitchen, leaving me to fend for myself. Charlie didn't want to get involved, and I got where he was coming from but I couldn't help feeling like he was some sort of traitor.

"Oh, I didn't realize you were still a jerk," I replied. "The least you could say is _'hello,'_ Edward."


	2. Chapter 2

**Title:** Forbidden Fruit – Chapter 2

**Authors: **Lamb

**Pairing: **Edward/Bella, all canon.

**Rating: **M (for future chapters)

**Summary: **Not wanting to intrude on her mother's new-found marital bliss, Bella Swan moves back to her hometown of Forks to live with her father and brother. But what happens when the brother she never knew turns out to be everything she wanted? All-Human/Alternate Universe.

* * *

"You're Isabella Swan, right?"

I was dreading this all week. My first day of school was full of this – _'You're Isabella Swan, correct? The Chief's daughter, Edward's sister. You're her, right?_' – unfortunately. In a small town like Forks, everyone couldn't help swarm the new meat. Kids around here, especially, would more than love to befriend the chief's daughter. The chief's daughter meant immunity.

Pot, meth, whatever they could get their hands on. Myself? I certainly wasn't interested.

I suddenly longed for the anonymity of my former life in Phoenix, where no one seemed to care about who I was or who I was related to. In Phoenix, I was nobody; I was _less _than nobody. I barely existed.

"Hey." Here we go again. "You're Isabella, aren't you?"

I sighed, turning on my heel to find the source of the voice. The girl it had originated from seemed unusually cheerful, her tone almost child-like. She smiled, throwing her arms up to wave at me, dozens of silver bracelets jingling. There was friendly and there was over friendly – _this_ was over friendly.

"You're Isabella, _aren't you_?" she asked again.

"Yeah, um… _just Bella. _The only person who calls me '_Isabella'_ is my grandmother."

"_Bella, Bella…_ I like it! It really suits you, you know? Oh, I'm so sorry… how rude of me! I'm Alice. Alice Brandon. You're in my art class."

I tried to trace my steps back in my mind, but there was no memory of _Alice_ in my art class. Then again, I'd spent the entire day trying –and failing entirely – to avoid any unnecessary attention. Alice was short, even compared to me, her spiked hair adding another inch or two onto her height. She stared at me wide-eyed as I attempted to collect my thoughts and took another step forward.

"Oh, jeez," she frowned. "I've been totally _rude_. I bet you're entirely sick of everyone hounding you… I promise I'm not trying to find out if your brother is single, and between you and me? Edward really isn't my type. No thanks."

I smirked, rolling my eyes. I'd been here all of six hours and even I knew that my brother was some sort of _God's gift to women_ around these parts. I couldn't see it; to me, he was that still that jerk who'd hold a pillow over my face during fights until I could barely breathe. The strange part was… despite his popularity with women, Edward never really had friends. He had maybe a few people he was close with, but my brother was just as much a loner as I was.

"You're the only one," I snorted, nervously twirling a lock of hair around my finger.

"I _have_ a boyfriend, anyway. Edward's in a few classes with me... he's sort of, how do I put it, quiet? The good-looking, mysterious type… I guess that's what girls see in him."

I laughed again, grateful that there was at least one girl who was completely unaffected by my brother's seemingly inexplicable ability to _dazzle_ people. Alice was actually the first person all day that hadn't made me feel completely uncomfortable; in fact, I would even admit I felt somewhat at ease. She was normal, aside from the eclectic attire, not some lovesick girl wanting to befriend me to have an in with my brother or a drug addict trying to find a cheap score. What did I look like to these people?

She didn't ask me why I'd moved to Forks, why for an Arizonian I'd been so pale, or why my parents had separated. Instead Alice just smiled, chattering on about her classes and asking me about how I'd liked mine, what teachers I had, and how to survive the ones she'd had when she was a junior. She walked with me from my locker to the parking lot and straight to Edward's car.

He rolled his eyes at me the second he saw me, opening the driver's side door and sliding in, quickly turning the ignition as a signal to wrap it up. I sighed, gesturing toward Edward, and she got the hint.

"It's cool, it's cool… I have a sister, I know how it is. I'll see you tomorrow, right? Maybe we can eat lunch together or something." She glanced over toward Edward, grinning at him politely. "Goodbye Edward, bye Bella. Drive safe."

* * *

Edward didn't say more than two words to me the entire drive, and one of those times was to _politely_ remind me not to slam the door on his precious Volvo too hard. I just rolled my eyes, nonchalantly kneeing the glove box, and smiled back at him innocently. The Volvo – a silver 1985 Volvo 760 turbo, to be exact –was older than we were, and yet he adored his stupid car _and_ it was my only ride unless I wanted to hitch a ride in the cruiser every morning.

Finally he sighed, pulling into our drive way and turned the car off.

"Dad and I are going to a wrestling match, if you're interested."

"Wrestling? Since when do you like sports?" I inquired curiously.

Edward frowned at me, shrugging his shoulders as he reached to unbuckle his seatbelt, popping the door open. I raised my eyebrow, staring at him expectantly.

"My friend Emmett… he's sort of the star athlete at Forks High. He invited me and dad to the match, and, well… you're here and all, so we may as well invite you too. Besides, it'd give Rosalie someone to talk to."

"Rosalie? As in, like, _Rosalie Hale_?"

I'd heard the stories about Rosalie; she was the undisputed champion at being a cold, hard bitch as far as alpha females in Forks High School went. I was intimidated, to say the least. I may have not cared what she thought of me or even cared to attempt being friends with her, but the last thing I wanted to do today was deal with some girl's snarky attitude. Edward shook his head.

"It's not like that," he began. "Rosalie's… misunderstood. She's sort of seen as some _'bitch'_ at school, but I know her and I know she's not like that. I'm not going to get into it, but once you get to know her, she's actually really nice… most of the time."

Somehow I didn't seem to be quite as convinced as he had hoped, he sighed and muttered under his breath for me to just forget the whole thing and quickly got out of the car, slamming his door behind him. I rolled my eyes, _'So much for being gentle with the Volvo'._

_

* * *

  
_

It had been no wonder why Edward had such good grades; Forks made my high school in Phoenix look like a school for geniuses. Nearly every assignment had been something I'd done in my sophomore -- if not freshman -- year, and I quickly sped through my homework. Edward wasn't a genius by any means, but he definitely could keep up with me.

I finished my homework and piled all of my books up, stuffing them into my backpack and stared at the wall, taking a moment to collect my thoughts as I caught the time in the corner of my eye. I figured if I was going to join Dad and Edward tonight, I might as well get dressed in something more appropriate for the night time weather.

I headed up the stairs and into my bedroom to grab some warmer clothes from the closet, quickly settling on a thermal t-shirt and a sweatshirt, and headed towards the bathroom, locking the door behind me. I contemplated taking a shower, but deciding I didn't want to deal with blow drying my hair I turned the sink on to wash my face instead before I heard the door open, Edward quickly rushing in.

I stared at him, bewildered, before shoving him out the door.

"God damn it, Edward!" I shouted, reaching for a towel to dry my face off.

"Oh, Jesus," he groaned. "I didn't even notice anyone was in here."

"How did you get in, anyway? I locked the do—"

He cut me off with a cackle, and I could only glare.

"I probably should have told you that the lock is broken… Dad hasn't even bothered to fix it because really, he's only here every so often. Two guys don't really need to worry about walking in on each other; we tend to just _know_ when the other is in the bathroom."

_Great;_ like that was just what I had needed. The last thing I needed to worry about was my dad or my brother walking in on me. I'd fix the damn lock myself if I had to. Edward apologized and promised to knock next time, and really it was the best policy we had before I could get someone to drive me to the hardware store to buy a new door knob. I grabbed my clothes and walked back to my bedroom to get dressed, leaving my brother to use the bathroom.

* * *

Rosalie Hale was _every_ bit as beautiful as I had heard she was.

Edward had given me a quick rundown on the way to the school: she moved here from the east coast two years ago to live with her aunt and uncle. She was beautiful and the subject of envy, but very few people had gotten close to her and most would consider her stuck-up and otherwise unlikable.

She was gorgeous, with long blonde hair that hung in soft curls and dark blue eyes that were nearly violet in color. I tried not to stare too much, but I couldn't help spending the first few minutes practically drooling. Well, not exactly, but I couldn't imagine being a teenage boy at this moment. Instead, all I could think of was how unfair it was that I even sit next to her. I felt positively _hideous _next to her.

Rosalie was the girlfriend of Edward's long time best friend, Emmett, who was some sort of star athlete in this little town. Being perfect in general, obviously Rosalie was also the perfect girlfriend – sitting in the stands, cheering for him at every opportunity.

The wrestling match itself was boring. I had never been into sports, but watching the way Dad would hoot and holler with Rosalie over Emmett's every move was more than entertaining. While waiting for the next match to begin, Dad leaned over to tell me what a big deal Emmett was -- that Forks hadn't seen this sort of action in awhile and that he would probably become some famous athlete one day.

Dad went so far as to say he was _proud _of Emmett.

It was at this declaration that I saw Edward's expression change – when before he had smiled softly, suddenly his lips had fallen into a pout. I studied Edward for a moment, trying to understand the unexpected change. It hit me. Edward was disappointed in _himself_. The littlest things seemed to point toward Edward wanting to please our father; he'd done everything he could to be a _good son_.

Edward hadn't invited me because it was some family outing; Edward invited me because he didn't want to be alone… because he didn't want to be alone in _this_. My heart sank a little; I couldn't help but feel bad for him. This was my brother. _My_ anti-social, self-centered, and otherwise heartless brother, and I was actually feeling wretched for him.

After the match I was able to meet Emmett, who was possibly the exact opposite of Rosalie. He was tall, bulky and beyond friendly. He was loud and laughed all the time, and his voice seemed to boom through the room when he talked.

"You're Isabel—_Bella_, I mean," he grinned. "Edward told me about that. Huh, you guys barely look alike. You're a little short compared to Ed. Well, I'm Emmett and this is my girl, Rose."

"_Rosalie._ Rosalie Hale," she quickly corrected, offering him a small pout.

Emmett placed his arm around Rosalie and my heart melted, seeing the way she leaned into him so naturally. Despite their differences, seeing them together…just _fit._ I had to look away.

After congratulating Emmett on his win, we all began to go our separate ways. Dad – who had driven to the school straight from the station — was first to leave, giving Emmett a bear hug and a congratulatory pat on the back. I decided to stay with Edward, give him some company on the ride home and attempt to see if my assumptions had been correct.

"Congratulations, Em," Edward smiled, shaking his hand. "You did great."

"It was… really interesting. I've never _seen_ an actual wrestling match before," I added.

Emmett smiled at me and slipped his hand in Rosalie's back pocket, slowly pulling at her. I just waved, too afraid to actually say goodnight to her. We finished our goodbyes and stood there for a moment before Edward nodded toward the Volvo. I leaned against the hood, frowning at him.

"You envy Emmett, don't you? I mean… the whole thing with Dad being '_proud'_ of him…"

Edward didn't answer me; he merely unlocked his door and slid in, quickly starting the engine. I sighed heavily, slowly getting into the car, and took his silence as his answer.

* * *

Another day, another miserable rainy morning.

I crawled out of bed, blindly reaching for a towel and throwing it over my shoulders as I headed toward the bathroom. Slowly I pulled my tank top off and tossed it toward the sink as I wiggled out of my pajama pants, my panties quickly following. I didn't even have a chance to counter, only turning toward the door in defense as I heard the door open, my sleepy state delaying me as I reached for the towel.

There stood my brother, wearing nothing but boxers and his eyes wide.


	3. Chapter 3

**Title:** Forbidden Fruit – Chapter 3

**Authors: **Lion

**Pairing: **Edward/Bella, all canon.

**Rating: **M (for future chapters)

**Summary: **Not wanting to intrude on her mother's new-found marital bliss, Bella Swan moves back to her hometown of Forks to live with her father and brother. But what happens when the brother she never knew turns out to be everything she wanted? All-Human/Alternate Universe.

**Note:** This chapter is written entirely in Edward's point of view.

* * *

There's a stranger in my house, and she's standing in the middle of my bathroom with her clothing strewn carelessly across the floor. She's all long, coltish legs, firm breasts and wide eyes, and she's staring at me with complete incredulity, her jaw slack with shock.

"Jesus, Edward!" she nearly shrieked as she reached for the closest towel, draping it ineffectively across the pale expanse of her skin. The ragged floral affair was no better than a hand towel: my eyes automatically skimmed past its frayed edges, settling on the small, dark patch of hair between her legs. "Don't you fucking _knock_? This is the second time!"

With her free hand she reached out and shoved my shoulder, forcing me from the bathroom and slamming the door behind her. I gaped for a moment at it, struggling to comprehend what, exactly, had just happened – and why the hell showering had just gotten so complicated.

And then it hit me: not a stranger. My _sister_.

"What the hell are you _talking_ about?" I sputtered in an attempt to find my voice, and I could feel a hot, furious blush blooming over my cheeks – which matched, I assumed, the one on hers. "This is my house, and I've definitely never had to _knock_ before, so excuse me for not remembering to. You live here for all of a week and I'm expected to cater to you? Fuck _that_, Bella."

If she replied, I didn't hear her; I was too busy stomping away from the bathroom, my jaw set in a taut line of displeasure. My own bedroom was at the end of the hall, and I shut the door forcefully behind me – my perfectly adequate, _lockable_ door.

"So much for showering," I muttered as I hooked my fingers into the waist of my boxers, pulling them off and discarding them in one fluid movement. The fatigue I had felt only moments before had been replaced with a surge of irrational anger – and the smaller, much quieter knowledge that Bella was right. I _had_ promised to knock and, sleep-addled brain or not, I had blamed her unfairly for a misstep that had been mine.

Being an older brother felt oddly like walking on egg shells.

* * *

When asked, I have always said that I'm an only child. It was never a statement that I regarded as a real lie; despite the vacations I had spent with my sister, both in Phoenix and in Forks, she was a veritable stranger to me. Our conversations had always been short and rather impersonal; her shyness wasn't well matched with my inclination toward introspection, and more often than not, I found that there was absolutely nothing to say. In Phoenix she spoke little, occupying herself with one of her secretive hobbies or spending time with our mother; in Forks I was rarely at home, preferring to visit with friends rather than contend with the awkward silences that tended to permeate our home.

To say that I knew very little about Bella as a person was a significant understatement. I understood her to be an avid reader, but our bookshelves were devoid of any of her contributions. Our mother touted her as something of an artist, but I had never seen any of her pieces framed or hung in either house – or, at the very least, tacked to a refrigerator. We shared no mutual friends or even interests, to my knowledge; she seemed unimpressed by the music I insisted upon playing in the car and the sports I excelled in.

"Why don't you ask your sister to play baseball with you?" my father had asked years ago – only once – as I prepared to leave the house with a bat swung over my shoulder. I paused in the entryway and offered him an incredulous look, and the sheepish shrug I received in response suggested that Charlie knew the futility behind an invitation like that as well as I did. Bella was thin, soft – obviously not an athlete by any stretch of the imagination or inclined toward becoming one. She lacked the necessary coordination and skills required for athleticism; it wasn't uncommon to watch her stumble over the laces of her shoes and pitch toward the floor despite a valiant effort to regain her balance.

"I guess you're right," he responded. There had been no further discussion about fostering a relationship with my sister.

Until now.

"I probably should have told you this when it first came up," Charlie had begun two weeks ago as we sat down to eat together at the dinner table – a rarity for us, considering his absolute lack of anything that resembled prowess in the kitchen. I normally ate with my friends or cooked simple meals for myself, so I should have immediately been suspicious when Charlie called me into the kitchen, gesturing toward a plate of macaroni and cheese that sat before my spot at the dinner table. "In hindsight, it wasn't a good idea to leave it this long."

"And are you going to tell me what 'this' refers to?" I asked after a lengthy pause, the fork I'd been holding dripping with uneaten noodles. He pushed his own plate aside and folded his arms over the surface of the table, his expression contemplative: he had a habit of knitting his eyebrows together and chewing at his bottom lip when he was lost in thought, which I knew I mimicked subconsciously.

"Your sister's going to be living with us full time," he finally announced, and despite his obvious confusion as to how to present such news to me, he smiled. _He_ was happy about this situation, naturally; he was worried about how _I_, an only child for all intents and purposes, would react. "Your mom and Phil are moving to Florida; he got traded there. Bella doesn't want to go with them because she feels like she'd be in the way."

"Right; because she'd only be in the way in _Florida_," I muttered caustically, dropping my fork and abandoning all hope of consuming the only meal Charlie hadn't butchered in years. I knew I was being extraordinarily childish – I could feel my lips settling into a petulant pout – but it was nearly impossible _not _to feel the way I did. A very poor effort had been made to make me feel as though I actually had a complete family; could I really be blamed for not feeling as though I_ needed_ one anymore?

"Play a little nicer," Charlie advised, and I opened my mouth to protest, which he silenced by peaceably raising his hands. "I know, I know; you don't really know each other, so it's not your fault. Just _try_, Edward; that's all I'm asking. Make her feel welcome, at least, and for God's sake, let her feel like she _belongs_ here. She's your _sister_."

The problem was that I wasn't quite sure that she _did_ belong here, and to me, "sister" was another word for "stranger."

* * *

"You're going to bed already?" Charlie asked skeptically as I rose from the couch, casting his eyes away from the television screen long enough to study my expression. I pointedly avoided looking toward the comfortable easy chair that had always been _my_ spot – which was now occupied by Bella, who was very obviously feigning an interest in the basketball game Charlie had chosen for us to watch. I normally came and went as I pleased, but Charlie had insisted upon tonight being "family night," which consisted mostly of me staring sullenly at the floor while Bella chewed at her already ragged nails.

All in complete silence, of course -- save for Charlie's muttered string of curses whenever his team fell behind in points.

"Yeah," I confirmed, theatrically stretching my arms over my head and forcing a yawn from between my lips. "I'm tired. And apparently, I've got to be up a bit earlier if I want to shower in the morning."

I didn't have to look at Bella to know that she was blushing furiously; it was in her genetic make up to stammer and redden whenever unfavourable attention was called to her. Charlie glanced between us, raising his eyebrows.

"You're _tired_?" he repeated. "It's not even ten o'clock. What did you do with my son?"

"Hilarious," I muttered, heading quickly toward the doorway without offering another glance behind me. "Goodnight."

I hadn't addressed either of them in particular, but I could hear Bella chiming in faintly as Charlie bid me goodnight. I rolled my eyes as I climbed the stairs, quickly entering my bedroom and shutting the door behind me. Moonlight filtered weakly through the room's singular window, undercut by a dense layer of clouds; it was raining again tonight, as it always did, and the drops drummed a staccato beat onto the roof that served as the soundtrack for my nightly routine. I hadn't truly been tired when I'd excused myself, but with every article of clothing I discarded, my eyes seemed to grow heavier. I crawled into bed, oddly grateful for the pounding of the rain; it silenced the canned laughter emanating from the sound system downstairs. They were watching a sitcom now, from what I could discern, as if it didn't matter whether or not I was there in the end.

* * *

It was raining in my dream as well, and I knew I was dreaming because the things I knew to be true were fundamentally wrong. I knew I was lying in my home, as I was in reality, but I certainly wasn't in my bedroom: I was in Bella's, characterized by the distinctive lace curtains covering her window and the rocking chair that had been hers as a child. I could recall that I had gone to bed wearing boxers, but they had been discarded in my reverie; the moonlight, stronger than it had been when I closed my eyes, played across the contours of my naked body. Not real; none of this was real.

And I knew this especially because Bella stood at the foot of her bed, a black silk robe that she didn't own in actuality shrouding her figure. Her skin was flawless, like alabaster, and it shone faintly beneath the moon's pale rays; her hair tumbled in soft waves over her shoulders, and an impish smile split her full lips, contrasting wildly with her ethereal presence.

"Bella?" I choked out, unable to take my eyes off of those lips, which were moist and suggestively parted. It was all too easy to imagine her slipping them around the length of my cock; all too easy to imagine her teasing the head of it with the tip of her tongue while she gazed up at me to gauge my reaction, her large, dark eyes locked with my own.

"Yes, Edward?" she responded sweetly, and she shifted her gaze slowly from my face down the length of my body. I didn't need to follow her eyes to know what she was focusing on; I was achingly hard after my unexpected fantasy, and I was obviously not the only one who knew it. "Is there a problem?"

Why was it so difficult to form words? My dream self was a stuttering idiot; he stumbled over his words, irrationally enticed by a girl he should never have given a second glance toward. "Why am I in your bed? Naked, no less?"

Bella smiled, reached slowly for the sash that held her robe closed. The fabric parted and dropped to the floor, revealing her milky skin in its entirety for my eyes to devour. At least one thing had proven to be true thus far: she was exactly as I remembered her from the bathroom debacle that morning, and I couldn't keep myself from staring at her breasts as she crawled onto the bed, inching toward me on her hands and knees.

"What's the matter, Edward?" she asked as she drew closer, never losing that mischievous smile I couldn't recall her ever offering me in reality. She was straddling me now, and I could feel the heat of her against my cock; she brushed teasingly against me and God, she was _wet_. "Don't you want to play nice with your sister?"

I bolted upright, my breathing harsh and uneven, nearly gasping for air; I could feel sweat beaded across my forehead and it was cool against my uncomfortably hot skin. A quick glance at the digital clock on my nightstand revealed that it was just after midnight; at some point, I would have to go back to sleep or suffer with completely drained tomorrow. At some point, I was going to have to risk subjecting myself to _that_ again.

My stomach roiled with an unexpected wave of nausea, and before I could even comprehend my actions I had darted from my bed, frantically tugging the bedroom door open and running down the hallway. My body seemed to move of its own accord while my brain trailed somewhere behind, still consumed with the mental images it had subjected me to. I dropped to my knees in front of the toilet and heaved violently, expelling whatever had remained of dinner, and I shook like a terrified child despite my firm grip on the seat.

What the hell had just happened?


	4. Chapter 4

**Title:** Forbidden Fruit – Chapter 4

**Authors:** Lamb

**Pairing:** Edward/Bella, all canon.

**Rating:** M (for future chapters)

**Summary:** Not wanting to intrude on her mother's new-found marital bliss, Bella Swan moves back to her hometown of Forks to live with her father and brother. But what happens when the brother she never knew turns out to be everything she wanted? All-Human/Alternate Universe.

* * *

"Edward is staring at you," Alice murmured, elbowing me in the arm.

Edward was _staring _at me? Surely I had to be mishearing what she had said. Edward made a point of avoiding me at school and at home aside from the car ride to school and back for the last two weeks. Was there an Edward I hadn't met before?

I furrowed my brow, glancing toward the table I'd usually locate my brother sitting at with Rosalie and Emmett, and found that he was indeed staring at me. His expression was a mix of curiosity and annoyance and I couldn't help but glare back at him, mouthing an angry _'what?!'_ in his direction.

He looked away.

Alice just snickered, rolling her eyes as she took another sip of her iced tea, but my focus was still on Edward. My brother had all but avoided me entirely in the last two weeks – he'd barely talk to me in the car, at home… it was frustrating.

"Siblings," Alice snorted. "You're lucky you have a brother."

She snapped me back to reality as she nudged me again, a little too hard as always, and pointed toward a group of girls across from us. I hadn't officially met Alice's sister, but I knew that she was just a few years younger than we were and her name was Cynthia. She looked a lot like Alice in regards to her small, refined features, but her body was different; whereas Alice had been petite and thin, Cynthia was taller with broad shoulders, as if her body and face didn't quite belong together.

"At least you don't have to worry about _Edward_ stealing your favorite sweater."

I laughed, giving her a sympathetic look. "No, that's definitely not something I have to worry about. But if it were, you'd be the _first _to know."

Alice giggled musically and twisted the cap back on her drink. I liked Alice, I really did. She was someone to joke with and there was no worrying about whether or not she was using me to get closer to Edward like some of the girls seemed to be interested in. She was also the only person I really had to talk to about the way Edward had been acting recently. His unapproachable attitude was beginning to grate on my last nerves -- so much so, in fact, that I'd even considered dipping into my college fund to buy my own car just so I didn't have to deal with him more than was already necessary.

There was absolutely no talking to Charlie, and Mom would just tell me to give Edward time; '_he's still adjusting to having a girl around the house, after all.'_ But his attitude just seemed so uncalled for—the glaring, the cold shoulder… I tried _so_ hard just to get along with him, and the fact that he couldn't be bothered to be nice to me was beyond frustrating.

Though, on the plus side, maybe having my own car would be a good idea.

"Hey," I glanced over at Alice. "What are you doing this weekend?"

* * *

Alice and I had made plans to go to La Push during the weekend, and when Saturday rolled around I was thrilled to be getting out of the house. Charlie had a friend who lived on the reservation who was selling a car and I figured I'd go take a look—and possibly _buy_ the damn thing if it ran well enough. Charlie said it was nice enough and even offered to take me down there, but the last thing I wanted to do was be paraded between the Clearwater and Black houses so Charlie could show off how _big_ I'd gotten over the years.

Charlie was cooking eggs when I made it down the stairs and I decided to forego any exciting culinary adventures and stuck with a bowl of cereal. Edward had already finished up his breakfast by the time I got to the table and had quickly found his way to the sofa, flipping idly through the channels.

"Any exciting plans for today, kids?" Charlie inquired, stuffing his mouth full of egg.

I shrugged, clearly not wanting to share my plans. "Not really. Alice is coming to get me."

"Alice… the Brandon girl?" he glowered unpleasantly. "You be careful. She's got that damn boyfriend, and I don't want to say the girl is guilty by association, but…"

Charlie cut himself off, clearly not wanting to get into it for God knows what reason. I shook it off as secondhand gossip; Charlie was the chief of police and he always had nosy people gossiping to him. Frankly, I'd never met Jasper, but he seemed nice enough from what Alice had told me about him.

"Anyway," he sighed, changing the subject. "What about you, boy?"

"I'll probably head up to see the Cullens," he shrugged, slumping into his seat.

"Ah, well… tell Mrs. Cullen I said thanks for those cookies, and say '_hi'_ for me. As for me, I've got some paperwork to take care of at the station, and then I'm meeting up with Harry Clearwater for a few drinks… I'll be back late, I'm sure." Charlie smirked, grabbed his plate, and headed toward the kitchen.

I finished up my bowl of cereal and went into the kitchen to help Charlie with the dishes so he could finish getting dressed. When he finally left I'd noticed it was already 9 am and I still hadn't heard from Alice. I was beginning to get worried; she was supposed to be here before 10 am.

As 9:45 am rolled around, I finally picked up the phone and called her.

"Yeah?" a masculine voice answered.

I hesitated for a moment. "Uh, yeah, _hi_. Is Alice there?"

I could hear muffled talking, but couldn't make out what was being said before I heard the phone being handed over. Alice's voice was cheerful as always.

"Hi, Bella! What's going o—oh. _Oh_, no,_" _her tone quickly changed. "It's Saturday, isn't it? We had plans… Oh, God. I'm so sorry, Bella. I'm with Jasper right now. He's not feeling very well."

"Oh… I see, well… um, don't worry about it, alright? We'll do it another time. I hope your boyfriend feels better soon… I'll see you at school on Monday?"

I tried my best to stay calm but I wanted to cry. Whenever I was frustrated or angry, my first instinct is always to cry. I shouldn't be angry with her and I really wasn't, but I had gotten my hopes up and I shouldn't have to rely on other people all the time. I _hated_ having to hitch rides and depend on other people's schedules. I said goodbye to Alice and hung up the phone, letting out a sigh of frustration.

"Well, there go all of my exciting plans for the day…" I mumbled, standing up and sliding my chair back in.

Edward was still slumped against the sofa when I headed back toward the living room, blankly staring at the television. I stared for a moment, then turned on my heel and headed for the stairs instead. The last thing I wanted to do was deal with Edward today.

"So, what… did you need a ride somewhere?"

Edward's voice was distracted, and I wondered if he hadn't realized he wasn't talking to himself. But when I turned back around to look at him, he had turned away from the television and was staring up at me curiously.

"Yeah, but," I began, a bit unsure. "Alice's boyfriend is sick, and well, we'll just go another week, I guess. No big deal, I'll just do some laundry today."

Edward rolled his eyes. "I was _offering_, Bella… God, you're dense."

Oh, now he was insulting me? I glared at him and started back up the stairs. There was absolutely no reason for him to be a jerk, but he just continued.

"Look, I'm sorry. I really was offering, though. I was just going to meet Emmett over at Dr. Cullen's house and it's not like I have any certain time I'm supposed to be there. I can sort of show up anytime, really… so if you'd like a ride…"

I leaned against the railing and stared down at him, eyebrow raised. Was _my_ brother actually being nice for a change? I was growing oh-so-used to his little attitude and wasn't exactly sure how I felt about this.

"You're offering me a ride," I said, still suspicious. "Like… _you're_ going to drive _me_ somewhere."

"Yeah, that was sort of the plan… if you'd like, of course."

I took a moment to think, biting the inside of my lip before nodding my head. If anything, I figured that I was doing _him_ a favor—if I bought this car, I'd be out of his hair. No more driving me to school, no more driving me to the library, no more waiting around for me. Still, I couldn't help but feel suspicious.

* * *

Edward and I drove out to La Push in near silence. Occasionally, he'd glance at me like he wanted to talk to me, but clearly neither of us wanted to start the conversation. When we made it to Billy Black's house, Edward jumped out of the car first and dashed around to open my door for me.

"Your mood swings are really starting to bother me, you know," I scoffed.

Edward gave me a sheepish look. "I'm _just_ being nice."

I vaguely remembered Billy Black from my summers in Forks, but my memories of him were blurred. I remember spending all my time with his daughters, whereas Edward fished with Charlie and Billy or would be sitting in the kitchen with his wife, helping her cook.

Just ahead was a large shed, which I assumed they used as a garage. A group of boys were sitting around while one of them tinkered with an old car. The boy peeked around from the hood curiously.

"Jacob," Edward called, putting his hand up.

The boy waved back and headed around the car to greet us. He walked slowly, wiping his hands off on his pants. He was much taller than he appeared from afar, even taller than Edward.

"Hey, Ed— whoa! _You're _Isabella?" Jacob glanced down at me curiously.

"Y-yeah, I mean, _Bella_… how did you know? Do I _know_ you?"

The boy smiled, putting his hand out for me. "You don't remember me? I should be a little insulted… we used to make mud-pies as kids—you, me, my sisters? Dad _said_ you were moving back… but I don't know, I figured Ed brought some girl here or something… you know_, you know_."

"I don't _do_ that, Jake. And don't offer Bella any, either. You don't need to get her in trouble with the chief—you don't need to get in trouble." Edward glared; obviously I was missing the point.

Jacob snorted, rolling his eyes. "_I_ don't touch the stuff; Sam is the one who sells, anyway."

I glanced over toward the group of boys and couldn't help but wonder which one was _Sam_—and exactly _what_ Sam was selling. Jacob snapped me back into reality.

"You really don't remember me? You were the first girl I ever kissed, you know."

Edward rolled his eyes. "_Yeah_, when you were, like, three. Get over it."

"Whatever, dude," Jacob snapped. "At least I've _kissed_ a girl."

Edward just rolled his eyes again. It was more than apparent that Edward didn't really care for Jacob; he seemed so playful and happy, the complete opposite of my brother. I just smiled at him while he teased Edward; it was nice to see someone get him back for a change.

"What can I do for you guys? Do you want something to drink?"

Edward shook his head. "No, we're actually here about the car your dad was selling."

"Becca's car? Dude, we sold that fucker two days ago. You should have called—that guy got a great deal… $1200 for her little Toyota? That car wasn't even that old."

I sighed—clearly this wasn't my day. Edward glanced over at me and gave a sympathetic frown, nudging me gently.

"Alright, we'll be out of your way then…" Edward sighed, turning back towards the car.

Jacob took a moment to think, and then grabbed my hand. "Wait! I didn't say that was the _only_ car we were selling… I've been fixing up dad's old truck; do you want to take a look?"

Jacob led me back toward the shed with Edward quickly following behind us. Jake's hand never left mine once, squeezing softly as he pulled me toward a dusty red truck. The thing looked like a beast—big, intimidating, and solid—the sort of car that would demolish that _little Toyota_ I missed out on.

I _liked_ it.

And Jacob could tell, popping the door open and sliding in as he gave me a brief history on it. It was older – made in the early fifties -- and had belonged to Billy for about twenty years. Jacob was fixing it up to sell and he'd be able to use the money he made on the truck to buy parts for a car he was rebuilding for himself.

"It won't be ready any time soon," he sulked. "But… I could probably have it ready for you in a week or two if I worked on it every night. I'll get it all cleaned up for you too, and I'll give you a great price on it. Consider it some sort of… _pretty girl discount_. What do you say?"

"How _great_ of a price?" I asked curiously.

"How does $1300 sound? Dad got a new engine for it a few years ago; I'm just tuning it up _and_ I'll be your permanent mechanic. Cheap labor, Bella -- think about it."

I glanced over at Edward, who just shrugged his shoulders and took a moment to ponder it over for a minute. I liked the truck, and Jacob obviously knew what he was doing if he was fixing up a car for himself. What did I really have to lose other than the money and the two week wait?

Jacob and I exchanged numbers and he said he'd give me a call as soon as he was finished up with the truck. We said our goodbyes, and Jacob walked Edward and I back to the car, smirking at me devilishly as he reminded me that he had my number and would do _'as he'd like'_ with it. I just rolled my eyes.

"See you, Bella. It was nice seeing you," he smiled.

"You too, Jake," I agreed, waving out the window at him. "Don't break my truck!"

I'd barely been able to finish my sentence before Edward was revving the engine, quickly pulling out of the driveway and back onto the road, mumbling indistinctly to himself. I didn't bother asking him what was wrong; I could tell that Jacob was the source of his frustration as he glared.

"You didn't have to take me, you know…" I muttered, pulling my seatbelt on.

"I didn't realize I would have to deal with Pothead Black and his stoner friends—I could smell the damn pot as soon as I got out of the car and on top of all of that? He was _hitting on you_."

"Hitting on me? _Wow_, all he did was call me _pretty_."

"He called you pretty, he grabbed your hand, _and_ he acted like he had some nefarious plans for your cell phone number. I wouldn't be surprised if he calls you tonight."

I stared at Edward intently, trying to make sense of this argument. Since when did he even care if some boy I barely knew hit on me? Even Charlie wouldn't make a big deal about this and he's my _father_. I glared at him, my tone harsh.

"Since when do you care about what I do and don't do?"

"Jeez, Bella, I don't know! Was it when you decided to start hanging out with Alice Brandon, the school drug dealer? Or was it when you just gave your cell phone number to Jacob—_fucking—_Black?"

Edward stepped on the brake, pulling off on the side of the road and cut the engine. If he was mad, I was _livid_. How _low_, how absolutely _low_—he could care less about me any other time and suddenly every choice I made was wrong?

"Dragging _Alice_ into this, of all people? _Really_, Edward?"

He swallowed hard, tightening his grip on the steering wheel. "Alice's boyfriend Jasper is a drug dealer. I wouldn't be surprised if he was getting her to sell for him at the school—wonder why you haven't met him yet? _That's_ why. So excuse me for being concerned about my little _sister_."

I wondered how much of this was true, how he knew this, and if it was just more gossip he'd heard from Charlie, but I was too angry to even begin to process my thoughts. Edward sighed, slumping against the steering wheel.

"I've been a complete jerk to you," he began. "I know I have; I'm not oblivious and I'm not going out of my way to be a jackass to you, but right now all I can do is think that if I turn my back for two seconds you're going to do something stupid and get yourself in trouble."

"I'm completely capable of taking care of myself, Edward."

He sighed again. "I know that, I'm not stupid either."

My head was throbbing now. I felt a mix of anger and confusion and before I knew it I was crying. Today had been too long, too awful, too frustrating. Edward turned his head, looking over at me sadly, and quickly pulled me into his arms, burying his face into my hair. I could hardly breathe—he was making this better and worse at the same time. Worse because I just felt more and more confused, and better because it felt _good_; it felt nice to think like he actually cared about me.

We sat there in silence for what felt like hours before Edward finally pulled himself away from me, wiping my tears with the sleeve of his jacket before settling back into the seat. Another minute passed and he finally started the engine, turning back onto the road.

He kept his eyes on the road, the familiar silence settling back in.


	5. Chapter 5

**Title:** Forbidden Fruit – Chapter 5

**Authors: ** Lamb

**Pairing: **Edward/Bella, all canon.

**Rating: **M (for future chapters)

**Summary: **Not wanting to intrude on her mother's new-found marital bliss, Bella Swan moves back to her hometown of Forks to live with her father and brother. But what happens when the brother she never knew turns out to be everything she wanted? All-Human/Alternate Universe.

* * *

"You're going to _love_ me," Jacob beamed. "This thing purrs like a kitten."

I rolled my eyes; flipping the page of my math book as he attempted to start up the truck. It groaned to life as he turned the key in the ignition and I couldn't help but laugh.

"Mmm, I don't know," I snickered. "Sounds more like an _old cat coughing up a fur ball._"

"Hey, cut me some slack! This thing is_ practically_ a senior citizen, you know."

This had become a nightly occurrence; it'd been over two weeks and Jacob hadn't failed to call me once. He called mostly to _flirt_, and I had to admit that the kid was a smooth talker. Jacob was happy, personable, and above all things, he was charming. If I hadn't known him better, I might have fallen for some of the things he threw at me.

But the best thing about Jacob was that he wasn't one of the overly-anxious boys at school, and he wasn't _Edward_. Anything was better than spending my nights at home with my moody brother.

"I should let you go," I sighed, glancing down at my still-blank paper. "I have to finish this up… don't you have any homework? I don't want your dad thinking you're blowing of your school work to fix up the truck, you know. I don't want to be some _bad influence_."

I could hear the sarcasm in his voice. "I'm doing _just fine_ on the school front, Bells."

"Good night, Jake and try to get that truck running already!"

I groaned internally as I reached the end of the stairs. I could literally spot the mess of bronze hair from a mile away and there it was again, peeking out from the back of the sofa next to Charlie. Another—unfortunate—nightly occurrence: Edward hadn't so much as left the house in the last two weeks, despite all protest from me and Charlie.

"God," I moaned. "Don't you have a _life_, slacker? Or are you just here to _annoy_ me?"

Edward glanced over at me from over his shoulder with his brow furrowed, then rolled his eyes at me as he settled back against the sofa. I'd lost my touch. Normally he'd shoot an insult right back, poking fun at some asinine concept he seemed to have of me, but now my abuse was replied to with absolute silence. I had to say, I was starting to miss his little insults.

There was no epic tale of sibling bonding that night in La Push. Edward had only become more and more withdrawn; more anti-social. Mom seemed to think that maybe Edward had seen the errors of his ways, that he'd had some _epiphany_, but something felt wrong. It was only wishful thinking on her part, really.

"Come on, boy," Charlie frowned. "Why don't you go see the Cullens?"

Edward just shrugged. "I don't want to bother them. Besides, I shouldn't constantly intrude on Emmett and Rosalie's free time; it doesn't feel right."

"That's never stopped you before," Charlie sighed, sinking back into his seat.

I settled down on the recliner near the sofa and stared blankly at the television, trying to put it all out of my mind, but every time I looked over at Edward, he seemed tense. Had he always been this quiet and I'd just never noticed it before? Had something happened at school that I'd missed?

He seemed the same—that is to say, nothing really seemed _different_ on that front. He sat at the same table every day, had some painfully awkward run-in with Jessica Stanley (that part I couldn't help but notice; the girl reeked of desperation), and rolled his eyes at me at every opportunity.

At least Charlie was still a creature of habit. Like clockwork, he began to doze off at 9:30 PM and by 9:45 he was up on his feet, stretching his arms up over his head with a yawn.

"Better go hit the hay," he mumbled, rubbing at his eyes. "I've got a long day tomorrow… had a long day today, and a long day yesterday, too. Night, kids. Try not to kill each other while I'm asleep."

Edward chuckled quietly, all for show. Even though I couldn't see it in the darkened room, I could practically feel him rolling his eyes sarcastically. We said our goodnights and waved Charlie off to bed as he headed up the stairs, then sat there with only the sound of the television filling the silence.

"You're different," I finally murmured after almost another twenty minutes of silence.

Edward whipped his head towards me with his eyebrow raised. He was tense again, his fists clenching ever so slightly at the afghan on the sofa. I just frowned and rose to my feet, not even bothering to say goodnight as I headed towards the stairs.

"How am I—" he began, then sighed heavily. "_Goodnight_, Bella."

* * *

Alice groaned heavily as she dragged herself though the lunch line—every step was painfully sluggish, and people noticed. She was holding up the line, after all. I could hear angry murmuring and grumbling stomachs of the students behind us.

"Alice," I frowned sympathetically, "put some food on your tray, please? People are starting to complain. Walk faster, you're holding up the line."

"Why are you even _in_ line if you're not going to eat, Brandon?" I could hear Mike Newton whine.

I glared at him, but he only smiled back, wiggling his fingers as he waved at me. That shut him up. In interest of keeping the peace, I grabbed a chicken salad sandwich—at least, I think that's what it was—and placed it on Alice's tray before we hit the end of the line.

Alice was still groaning as we made it to our table and plopped herself down at her chair. I tried my best to be polite, but I had no clue as to why she was so upset. That was to say, I didn't really _get_ why she was so upset. All I knew was that Alice's sister, Cynthia, was having a birthday party the same weekend Alice's father and step-mother were heading out of town, and Alice had been instructed to chaperone the party. What could be so bad?

"To be honest, I don't really get what's so bad about this," I admitted.

Alice looked at me, mouth agape in complete disbelief. "What _isn't_ so bad about this, Bella? Do you even know what sort of _bullshit_ I'm going to have to deal with at this party? God, I knew it. I knew I should have checked my horoscope today! I knew it would be a bad day, I just _knew_ it. I'm _always_ right about these things—"

As much as I'd loved Alice, I knew she had a way of exaggerating a situation—making a mountain out of a molehill. _Alice_ could turn a molehill into _Everest_—and it couldn't possibly be as bad as she'd thought. What could be so bad about it? Alice _knew_ every one of Cynthia's friends; it wasn't like Forks was this _huge _school.

Then it hit me.

"Isn't Cynthia a sophomore? Ugh, she's turning _sixteen_…"

Forks or not, Alice wasn't exactly poor. They'd lived in Forks since Alice's mom died when she was a kid, and after years of struggling, her father finally made some sort of name for himself and runs a nice little operation up in Seattle. He and his new wife aren't really close, so he stays in Seattle during the week and only comes back home on the weekends as opposed to moving the entire family to Seattle. Instead of solid parenting, he spoils his kids rotten as some cheap substitution.

Cynthia's party would be yet another delightful little token of love from _father dearest_. I wonder what sort of car he bought her for her _'super sweet sixteen.'_

"So you see my dilemma, here," she sighed.

I sighed as well, glancing toward Cynthia's usual table, and could already see her enthusiastically waving her arms about. Alice and Cynthia were definitely _nothing_ alike—Cynthia was this cheerleader-type who hung out with all the _popular_ kids in school, and as for Alice? Well, she hung out with _me._

"You _have_ to come to the party, Bella." It was a demand, not a request.

"Alright, it's official. You've completely lost your mind."

"_Bella_," Alice frowned, all pouty lips and puppy-dog eyes, "you're not seriously going to make me sit at home while my sister throws a damn kegger, are you? I _need_ you. Jasper refuses to step foot in my house and the last thing I want is to be left alone with Cynthia and all _my_ former friends."

There was clear bitterness in that last bit, but I didn't want to bring it up. This was something Edward had once mentioned, though in passing. Edward didn't gossip, but he seemed to know Alice a lot better than she had let on… after all, they _were_ in the same grade, the same classes, and Forks _was_ a small school—how could it be possible for them not to know each other more than by name? Maybe, just maybe, if Edward ever took a break from being so _moody_, I'd be able to ask him.

"I'll think about it, alright? That's really all I can promise right now, Alice."

* * *

There was something big, red, and vaguely shiny in my peripheral as we pulled into the driveway after school. My heart practically skipped a beat and I had to catch my breath from the sudden head rush—_my truck_!

"Oh my _god_!" I shouted, pushing the door on the Volvo open.

After all these weeks of waiting, my truck was finally done—freedom, _glorious_ freedom— and I stumbled toward it to find Jacob leaning casually against the hood, his white teeth flashing pleasantly at me as I nearly collided with the truck.

"Try not to break anything, Bells," he chuckled. "I really don't think you're going to be able to drive if you're in a body cast, you know?

I had hardly noticed Charlie—already out of his uniform and chatting away with Billy—sitting on the steps as I finally rounded the car. Edward followed behind me, rolling his eyes as he kicked the hubcap.

"Congratulations, you're the proud owner of a huge hunk of junk."

"That _hunk of junk_ got your mother to the hospital when she went into labor with you, boy. God, I can't believe you're finally gettin' rid of this old jalopy," Charlie laughed.

Billy just smirked, patting at his knees. "Not very easy to drive on these old legs since I got put in this damn chair, you know… but god, you're right. I did drive Renee in this thing when she went into labor, didn't I? Good going, Charlie. You practically missed your own son's birth."

"Hey," Charlie frowned, "it was a busy day at the office and Edward was already two weeks late as it was. Cut me some slack, will ya? I made it in time for the delivery, at least."

I was zoning out, in a daze far away from Charlie and Billy's almost child-like chatter. I sighed happily, glancing back toward _my_ truck. It may have not been the prettiest thing in the world, but it symbolized independence from Edward and the ability to go wherever I pleased. Thank god, too. I was on the _last_ of my nerves when it came to the _'brooding brother' _situation.

"You know, my pride is hurting. What do you _think_, Bella? You've barely said anything about my handiwork… and after _all_ that hard work."

"I haven't exactly driven it, you know," I teased, keeping my tone casual. "I mean, I _guess_ it looks alright… but who knows, your _handiwork_ might be shoddy at best."

Jacob smiled charmingly as he slipped his arm around my shoulder and placed his hand on top of the truck, making sure that he was _just barely_ touching me. Flirting again, and in front of Charlie too? He was braver than I thought—_very_ admirable.

* * *

Billy and Jacob stayed all night. Charlie had ordered a few pizzas and we spent the night watching a basketball game. Billy and Charlie had gotten on like a couple of kids—cracking jokes and goofing around—and it was _nice_ to see Charlie loosen up. I was sure that Jacob felt the same way I did for Billy. According to Charlie, Billy didn't get far from the reservation all that often.

As the night wound down, Jacob took me back outside to show off the truck as Edward glared off into the distance at something I couldn't fathom. He'd been in a particularly bad mood tonight, and even if we'd had guests he made absolutely no effort to even _try_ to be polite. He was irritating, even; when the pizza came, he grabbed a plate full and stomped off into the dining room while the rest of us ate in the living room. Jacob and I just rolled our eyes—Jake knew just as well as I did about how Edward could be. I was thankful to finally have someone who understood.

"So," Jacob began, plopping down into the driver's seat, "now that I'm done with the truck, I think it's only fair that I just come right out and ask you this—are you free at all this weekend?"

I swallowed hard. "_Free_… this weekend?"

"Yeah, I mean, I was wondering if you were free? I mean, maybe if you _were_ free, you'd be interested in hanging out? I mean, as friends, of course… we could go to see a movie, maybe?"

Jacob's voice carried and Edward rolled his eyes, leaning against the hood of my truck. I knew he was biting his tongue; he made no secret of his dislike for Jacob, and that made the offer all the more tempting. Why wouldn't I want to do something that would purposely make Edward mad?

The problem, however, was that I had already promised Alice I'd consider her invitation to Cynthia's party. Going on a date was a good enough excuse not to go, right? But then I'd be letting Alice down, and she was my only real friend at school, I owed her. I bit my lip, glancing over at Jacob when it hit me—he could go _with_ me to this dumb party.

"Well, I kind of have _plans_—"

He cut me off. "Oh, I see… well, another time, I guess? How about next weekend?"

"Will you _please_ let me finish? I was going to say that my friend invited me to this party—she doesn't want to be there, but she has no choice—maybe… you'd want to go with me instead?"

"You want me to go to a _party_ with you? Wow, I mean… _yeah_! I'd _love_ to go."

Jacob grinned smugly, settling carefully against the back of the seat. I could help but wonder what sort of horrible teenaged beast I'd let loose in that head of his—all hormones and only made it even more horribly funny to watch him scramble to his feet when Charlie opened the door for Billy.

"Alright, kid," Billy smiled. "Let's get back to the house. You have school tomorrow and we still have to stop at good ol' Harry's house on the way home."

"Tell Sue and Harry I said '_hi_,' will ya?" Charlie grinned, reaching to shake Billy's hand.

"Will do, chief, and you take care of yourself. Thank you for the pizza."

Jacob was quick to Billy's side. He helped him out of his wheelchair and into his truck, then climbed into the passenger seat—all while flashing a goofy little grin at me—and the two were off. It was nice to be able to spend time with Jacob—he lightened the mood and brightened everything around him. Most importantly, it was nice to finally be able to _enjoy_ myself in my own home.

* * *

"You'd better be around the corner," was all Alice said as she answered her phone.

I rolled my eyes, pulling to the side of the street as I strategically maneuvered my truck in an attempt to parallel park. The driveway was overflowing with cars and the street was practically full; it seemed as though all of Forks High had shown up for the birthday party of Cynthia Brandon.

"I'm on my way in, actually. Should I turn around, or are you going to say _'hello,'_ Alice?"

"_Hello_, Mrs. Robinson. I'd appreciate it much if you and your little jailbait boyfriend got your butts inside before I start putting cyanide in the punch," she replied with almost eerie cheerfulness.

Jacob had gotten out of the truck and was half-way around to my door when I pushed it open much to his disappointment, but he tried to get his game back by wrapping his arm over my shoulder as he walked me to the house. Alice was practically camped out by the door and made a running leap for me when she pulled it open.

"Oh, thank Jesus Christ. I was about to lose my shit, I swear," she pouted, her arms wrapped tightly around my waist.

And that's when I saw him.

The bane of my existence—with Jessica Stanley practically dry humping his leg—leaned against the sofa next to Rosalie. I groaned internally as he made eye contact, quickly shifting his weight so that Jessica was facing away from the front door.

"Yeah, about that," Alice frowned. "I thought if I told you, you wouldn't show up. I didn't expect him to show up, but Cynthia's boyfriend is on the wrestling team and invited the _entire team_, and, well… Edward just sort of showed up with Emmett."

"Thanks for the warning, Alice," I grumbled.

Jacob laughed, shaking his head, and pulled me back closer to assure me that we'd have fun if we'd just ignored Edward's existence. While it was a good idea, really, I couldn't help but feel as though the party had been ruined -- for me, at least.

"Let's get a drink, alright? I say '_screw Edward_,' really!" Alice smiled, tugging me away from Jacob's grasp and directly toward the kitchen.

* * *

Alice was clearly the last person I should have trusted, because I was four drinks in before I knew it. She giggled, telling jokes in her drunken stupor, and I couldn't help but laugh along. I had no real clue as to where Jacob had wandered off to, but he'd show up eventually, I assumed.

Alice and I were surrounded by the likes of Mike Newton and Angela Weber, who was playing designated driver for her friends, and I couldn't help but feel bad at the fact that she seemed so utterly uncomfortable being there. Angela was a nice girl, but as far as I could tell she was a pushover who got taken advantage by Jessica and Lauren Mallory, whom she said she'd been friends with since elementary school—apparently Angela didn't grow up to be _popular_ like the other two, but they kept her around to be their mule.

Mike, however, was thrashed worse than any of us, and seemed as though he'd throw up at any moment. I giggled, gently pushing him off of me every time he started falling all over me.

"So, anyway—SHUT UP—so, you guys. You guys. D-do you think that Bella is pretty, because _I_ think Bella is very pretty," Mike rambled, nuzzling against my shoulder.

"Mike, _shut up_, you think every girl in school is _pretty_," Angela shot back.

"I don't think _you're_ pretty, so that isn't true. Maybe you should be less of a pain in the ass, _An-gel-ah._ You'd get laid that way, you know."

Angela stared at him incredulously, but I couldn't tell if she was insulted or just _annoyed_ by Mike's drunken rambling. Mike rolled his eyes, scrambling to his feet and tugging anxiously at my hand.

"Bella, come get some air with me. You look like you're going to _puke_."

"You're the one who looks like they're going to puke," I mumbled, putting my head down on the table.

Mike grumbled, yanking me by the hand and pulling me to my feet. I swayed, trying to catch my balance, and Mike slid his arms around my waist, pulling me closer. He seemed quite pleased with himself, having pulled me away from both my friends and my _date_; last I'd heard from him, he was arguing with Ben Cheney about cars and had run off to go check out Ben's _fancy new set-up_.

It was cold out, but even the weather couldn't keep the partiers from hanging outside. Several of them lingered around the driveway, leaning against cars, and I was almost certain that I'd seen Jacob—still deep in conversation over Ben Cheney's engine—but I couldn't be sure. How did I get so _drunk_?

Mike pulled me along to the side of the house, rambling in a drunken slur that I couldn't even begin to translate into actual English. He pressed against me, his hands inching toward the hem of my shirt as he pressed his lips against mine. I couldn't concentration enough to even attempt to stop him. The street lights swirled around me and I was beginning to wonder how drunk I _really _was_,_ and before I could even count up how many drinks I'd had, something changed.

"Get the _fuck_ off of my sister, Newton!"

I furrowed my brow, focusing my vision and all I could see was cement and _blood_. The smell of the blood made me more nauseated than the liquor had. I covered mouth with my hand, looking up to see a familiar mess of bronze hair standing over me.

"Jesus Christ, Bella? _Bella_, are you okay?" another voice called from over the crowd that seemed to gather around us.

I swayed, willing my vision to focus itself. "…_E-Edward_? W-What is going _on_?"

Someone lifted me, pulling me close against their chest, and I wondered if it was Edward or Jacob—the smell was so unfamiliar to me. The voice was the only thing I recognized—shouting at the top of his lungs as he shoved the other person away.

"_—the fuck_ you will, Jacob. _Fuck you_! You want to fucking play hero now, after you disappeared on her? She practically got _raped_ by this piece of shit and you're suddenly the good guy? You're lucky I haven't broken your fucking leg."

"Dude, _calm_ down," Jacob shouted back, "She's _fine_, isn't she?"

"GET THE FUCK OUT OF MY WAY, JACOB! You're a _dead man_—you're _dead_. You're just as much as a piece of _shit_ as that scumbag over there. If you so much as _call_ my sister one more time, I swear to god I will personally drive down to La Push and kick your fucking ass!"

Edward practically swung me around his back, locking my arms in place around his neck and collided hard against Jacob as he pushed him out of the way and I drifted into another world—a world of unconsciousness.

* * *

I had to be dreaming. Everything was hazy—but _warm, _and comfortable—and colors swirled around me. It was nothing like the horrible, nauseating feeling from earlier. My fingers were clutching tightly at a t-shirt, pulling the body it'd been on closer to mine anxiously. I was practically _purring_ as I pressed my lips against flesh.

"_Mmm_," I murmured, my lips melting pleasantly against the warm skin.

My lips molded against the skin, my eyes fluttering closed…as I drifted back into the darkness.

* * *

**A/N:** Yeah, I know. It's been forever. I lost my muse for awhile there, but I promise I'm back and kicking. You should expect Edward's side of events soon, with some luck. :)


	6. Authors Note

Alright, so… I hate writing these, but since I've had a lot of people asking about this, I figured I'd address the issue of whether or not I'd be continuing this story. As of right now, the answer is _"no," _due to lack of interest on the behalf of my writing partner who was writing the next chapter.

When this story was originally dreamed up, it was plotted out for us both to take turns with our chapters. At this point, without Edward's point of view, the story just wouldn't work. One day, I may decide to reformulate and re-write the story on my own, but at this time I just don't have the heart to continue without my Edward on board.

I want to thank you all for your reviews, your lovely PMs, and all of your support. I hope you all continue to follow my fan fiction in the future.


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